Mental Impact of Hate Crimes on Affected Persons: Research Proposal

This research proposal investigates the mental impact of hate crimes on affected individuals, specifically focusing on the experiences of Black Americans in the USA. The proposal outlines the research aims, which include determining the different types of impact hate crimes can have, identifying the specific mental impact on Black Africans, and uncovering ways to assist victims in recovering from trauma. Key research questions address the different types of impact, the mental impact on Black Americans, and methods of support. The study hypothesizes an adverse mental impact of hate crimes on Black Americans. The proposal includes a review of existing literature, highlighting gaps in research regarding the mental impact on this specific demographic. The research methodology involves a positivist research philosophy and an analytical research design, utilizing qualitative data collection through focus group discussions and structured interviews with a sample of 25 Black Americans in The Bronx, New York City. Data analysis will involve thematic analysis, and ethical factors will be carefully considered. The proposal acknowledges limitations, primarily time and funding constraints.

Running head: MENTAL IMPACT OF HATE CRIME ON AFFECTED PERSONS
Mental Impact of Hate Crime on Affected Persons
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1MENTAL IMPACT OF HATE CRIMES ON AFFECTED PERSONS
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..............................................................................................................................2
1.1. Background Overview: Hate Crime in the USA...............................................................2
1.2. Problem Statement............................................................................................................3
1.3. Research Aims and Objectives.........................................................................................3
1.4. Research Question.............................................................................................................3
1.5. Research Hypothesis.........................................................................................................4
2. Review of Literature.................................................................................................................4
2.1. Gaps in the Review of Literature......................................................................................6
3. Research Methods....................................................................................................................6
3.1. Research Philosophy and Research Design......................................................................6
3.2. Data Collection.................................................................................................................7
3.3. Data Analysis....................................................................................................................7
3.4. Sampling Technique.........................................................................................................7
3.5. Sample Size.......................................................................................................................7
3.6. Ethical Factors...................................................................................................................7
3.7. Limitations........................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

2MENTAL IMPACT OF HATE CRIMES ON AFFECTED PERSONS
1. Introduction
Hate crime is a term that is used to describe a crime that typically involves the use of
violence and which is motivated by prejudice or bias, on the basis of religion, race, sexual
orientation and various other grounds (Blosnich et al., 2016). Hate crime is typically seen to
occur when the perpetrator targets the victim owing to the latter’s membership of a particular
racial or social group (Close et al., 2018). Hate crime as the name suggests is a crime that is
motivated by strong feelings of hate and resentment. Examples of hate crime involve incidents of
physical assault, harassment, bullying, damage to property, verbal insults or abuse, the use of
offensive graffiti in public spaces, mate crime and hate mail (Heald et al., 2018). This
assignment prepares a research proposal that seeks to examine the mental impact of hate crime
on the affected persons in the USA. The proposal includes a detailed outline of the research aims
and objectives, the key research questions, a review of literature on the subject, the gaps in the
review of literature and a brief description of the methods that will be used to conduct the study,
as also the ethical factors that will be taken into consideration when doing this research.
1.1. Background Overview: Hate Crime in the USA
Hate crime is on the rise in the USA and members of ethnic minority groups are often
targets of physical and mental abuse and sometimes sexual abuse as well. Hate crimes in the
USA are usually perpetrated by people who are regarded to be white supremacists and who
cannot tolerate the fact that black Americans or people of color have the right to a dignified
existence (Close et al., 2018). There is no justification for engaging in hate crimes, or in any

3MENTAL IMPACT OF HATE CRIMES ON AFFECTED PERSONS
crime for that matter, and the fact that hate crime is on the rise in the USA goes to show that
American society is growing increasingly intolerant with every passing day. Hate crimes when
carried against a person are in often seen to leave the victim in a state of shock. Apart from
feeling petrified, the victim of a hate crime also goes through a lot of trauma, a situation that
such a person may find difficult to recover from, unless exposed to a lot of counseling, and
healing therapy that may help to bring the person back to mainstream living once again
(Blosnich et al., 2016).
1.2. Problem Statement
Existing literature on the subject of hate crime talks about the various dimensions of hate
crime, and the factors that can propel an individual to commit a hate crime. Literature on hate
crime also states that it leaves the person who it is perpetrated against, in a state of shock (Olsen,
2018). However, there isn’t much evidence or information that points to the exact mental impact
that hate crimes are seen to have on the black Africans in particular, both short term and long
term. This project will address the gap in the literature by attempting to understand the exact
mental impact of hate crimes on black Americans.
1.3. Research Aims and Objectives
The specific objectives and aims of this study are as follows –
 To determine the different types of impact that hate crimes can have on victims
 To determine the mental impact that hate crimes can induce in black Africans
 To uncover the ways and means by which victims of hate crime such as black Africans
can be assisted in order for them to recover from the trauma and mental despair that they
are subjected to as a consequence of the crime.

4MENTAL IMPACT OF HATE CRIMES ON AFFECTED PERSONS
1.4. Research Question
The key research questions of this study are as follows –
RQ 1 – What are the different types of impact that hate crimes can have on victims?
RQ 2 – What is the mental impact of hate crimes on black Americans?
RQ 3 – What are the ways and means using which victims of hate crimes such as black
Americans can be assisted in order for them to recover from the trauma and mental despair that
they are subjected to as a consequence of the crime?
1.5. Research Hypothesis
This research seeks to test the following hypothesis –
Hypothesis 1 – Hate crimes have an adverse mental impact on black Americans
Hypothesis 2 – Hate crimes have no mental impact on black Americans
2. Review of Literature
Iganski et al. (2016) have researched on the psychological impact that hate crimes are seen to
induce in their victims. The authors have undertaken exploratory research to understand the
psychological effects that hate crimes have on people who are victims of such crimes. A specific
attempt is made by Iganski et al. (2016) to compare the impact of hate crimes on affected persons
in the psychological sense of the term, with the impact of otherwise motivated crimes on affected
persons, to assess the difference if any in the degree and intensity of trauma between the two.
The mental health of US veterans who identify as transgender and who have been subjected
to discrimination in some form or the other, on grounds of their sexual orientation, has been

5MENTAL IMPACT OF HATE CRIMES ON AFFECTED PERSONS
researched upon by Blosnich et al. (2016). According to the researchers, mood disorders tend to
be far higher among members of the transgender community or those who identify as lesbian,
gay or bisexual. In the view of Blosnich et al. (2016), a better understanding needs to be arrived
at of the specific needs, requirements and predicament of the members of the transgender
community in order for their care and treatment to be undertaken in an informed manner.
Olsen (2018) has undertaken research on the impact that verbal hate crimes can have on the
mental state of people who are victims of such crimes. In the view of Olsen (2018) emotional
and mental abuse as undertaken against members of the LGBTQ community, and that too at the
place of work, is not a new occurrence or phenomenon. Rather, it is argued by Olsen (2018) that
this is something that is becoming increasingly prevalent, with more and more workers
identifying as transgender or as members of the LGBTQ community, with every passing day. It
is argued by Olsen (2018) that the Hate Crime Prevention Act in the USA, which is the key
legislation that protects people from hate crimes in the country, needs to be amended in order for
to come effectively to the aid of people who are victims of verbal violence in the workplace. In
the ultimate analysis, it is argued by Olsen (2018), that workplace abuse is something that is seen
to have a significant impact the reputation of businesses and companies and it needs to be
combated at all cost.
Antebi-Gruzska et al. (2019) have researched on mental distress that prevails among victims
of anti LGBTQ hate crimes in the country of Israel. It is argued by Antebi-Gruzska et al. (2019),
that mental distress is something that tends to be quite severe among members of the LGBTQ
community who are victims of hate crime in the country of Israel. In the view of Antebi-Grzuska
et al. (2019), emotional support is something that can be used in order to provide victims of hate

6MENTAL IMPACT OF HATE CRIMES ON AFFECTED PERSONS
crime with the support that they need to recover from the mental shock and trauma that they are
exposed to.
2.1. Gaps in the Review of Literature
The review of literature has pointed out how hate crimes can prove to be quite mentally
and physical disturbing for the victims of such crimes. The impact of hate crimes on the mental
state of victims who belong to the transgender community is something that has been analyzed in
a detailed manner in the review of literature and an attempt has also been made to identify forms
of support that may be undertaken to help victims of hate crime recover from their predicament.
The review of literature does not mention specifically the mental impact that hate crimes can
have on affected persons who are black Americans or who belong to the African American
community. This gap in the review of literature will be addressed in the present study that is
being undertaken.
3. Research Methods
3.1. Research Philosophy and Research Design
This research project is going to make use of the positivist research philosophy as it
allows for the subject matter of the investigation to be discussed and analyzed in significant
detail. The positivist research philosophy will be useful when testing the legitimacy or validity of
the research hypothesis (Silverman, 2016). The research design that is going to be utilized for
undertaking the investigation is the analytical research design, which again is being chosen
because of the ease with which it will allow for the subject matter to be described, analyzed and
discussed in detail (Flick, 2018).

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3.2. Data Collection
The collection of data for this study is something that is going to be undertaken through
the use of qualitative and primary research (Silverman, 2016). The investigator will conduct
focus group discussions and structured interviews with a respondent population comprised of 25
members. The findings from primary research will be complemented with information obtained
from secondary sources such as books and journal articles on the subject of hate crime in the
USA.
3.3. Data Analysis
The information that is collated from primary and secondary research will be subjected to
thematic analysis.
3.4. Sampling Technique
The random and non-probabilistic sampling technique will be used to create the sample
population for the study.
3.5. Sample Size
The sample size will be restricted to 25 participants, all of whom are black Americans or
African Americans, living in area of New York City known as The Bronx.
3.6. Ethical Factors
The research work will be undertaken by adhering to a number of ethical factors. The
participants in the research process will be informed about the outcome of the study and they will
not be forced to take part in the research process either. The secondary sources of information
that are used for writing the project will be properly cited using the APA style of referencing
(Flick, 2018).

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3.7. Limitations
This is a study that is going to be characterized by a number of limitations. To begin
with, there is very little time in which the study can be undertaken and the funds that are
available for the pursuit of this research are not sufficient in any given way either. With a lot
more time at hand and also with more funds or financial resources to support the project, the
project is one that could have been undertaken in a more detailed and in-depth manner than what
can presently be done.

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References
Antebi-Gruszka, N., Mor, Z., & Shilo, G. (2019). Mental distress, well-being, and stress-related
growth following an anti-LGBQ hate crime among LGBQ young adults in Israel: The
effect of familiarity with the victims and the mediating role of emotional support. Journal
of Homosexuality, 1-19.
Blosnich, J. R., Marsiglio, M. C., Gao, S., Gordon, A. J., Shipherd, J. C., Kauth, M., ... & Fine,
M. J. (2016). Mental health of transgender veterans in US states with and without
discrimination and hate crime legal protection. American journal of public health, 106(3),
534-540
Close, C. M., Bosqui, T., O’Reilly, D., Donnelly, M., & Kouvonen, A. (2018). Migrant mental
health and representation in routine administrative registers. International Journal of
Migration, Health and Social Care.
Flick, U. (2018). Designing qualitative research. Sage
Heald, A., Vida, B., Farman, S., & Bhugra, D. (2018). The LEAVE vote and racial abuse
towards Black and Minority Ethnic communities across the UK: the impact on mental
health. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 111(5), 158-161.
Iganski, P. S., & Lagou, S. (2016). The psychological impact of hate crimes on victims: an
exploratory analysis of data from the US National Crime Victimization Survey
Olsen, E. (2018). Verbal Hate Crimes in the Workplace: The Effect of Mental and Emotional
Injury of the LGBT Community on the Commerce Clause. JL & Pol'y, 27, 500.

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Silverman, D. (Ed.). (2016). Qualitative research. Sage